


Sooner Than You Think

by hybridempress



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Angst, Car Accidents, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-16
Updated: 2015-07-16
Packaged: 2018-04-09 16:54:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4356986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hybridempress/pseuds/hybridempress
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur dies in a car crash while he's on the phone with Francis. Francis feels as though he can't get over Arthur's death and decides to join him in the afterlife, but not before getting a last visit from Arthur's spirit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sooner Than You Think

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Beemer](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Beemer).
  * Inspired by [Fruk comic](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/129062) by ladybeemer. 



     _"Are you bringing the soup?" Francis asked, his voice thick with the mucus that was clogging up his nose. He pulled his cellphone away from his ear for a moment so that he could sneeze into the handkerchief that he was holding in his other hand. He sniffled slightly before putting the phone to his ear again.  
  
    "Yes, Francis, I'm bringing the soup. I didn't make it myself, either. Mrs. Parks from across the street did," Arthur answered. He didn't bother to pull his cellphone away from his ear before yelling five different profanities at some driver who had just crossed into his lane without any warning.   
  
    Francis pursed his lips slightly. "Arthur, maybe you should hang up the phone... The road doesn't seem like a very safe place today. You need to focus," he said.   
  
    "Nonsense," Arthur dismissed. "I am a perfectly competent driver, and besides, you need someone to keep you out of trouble. Lord only knows what you'll try to do while you're sick."  
  
    "I'm not that bad, Arthur. I'm too tired to move right now, anyways. I'll probably be asleep by the time you get here," Francis protested, pouting, even though Arthur could't see it.  
  
    "Knowing you, you'll be tossing and turning because you're uncomfortable and can't sleep, so you'll try to go fill up a hot water bottle or something but you'll spill it everywhere and end up burning yourself," Arthur said.  
  
    "I'm not that clumsy, Arthur," Francis argued.  
  
    "You are when you're sick," Arthur countered. "Just relax, okay? I'm only ten minutes away. Just don't move until I get there, alright?"   
  
    "What if I need a glass of water?" Francis asked.  
  
    "I think you can wait ten minutes for a glass of water, Francis. Besides, when I get to your place I'm going to be forcing Gatorade down your throat," Arthur said.  
  
    "Arthur, you know I don't drink those kinds of drinks! I'll be perfectly fine with water and orange juice! Why do people drink Gatorade when they're sick, anyways? What does it do for you that water and orange juice doesn't?" Francis demanded.  
  
    "See, this is exactly why I'm going to have to shove it down your throat. It keeps your energy up and gives you back all those electrolytes you lose when you vomit," Arthur explained.  
  
    "You lost me at 'electrolytes'," Francis said blankly.  
  
    Arthur sighed. "Of course I did. Just don't worry about it, Francis, alright? It's not going to kill you, it's going to make you better. Besides, it tastes just as good as any kind of juice does. I got a few different flavors so you can tell me which one you like best," he said.  
  
    Francis chuckled softly. "I really shouldn't be complaining... I'm sorry for putting you through so much trouble,  **mon amour.**  You shouldn't have to be looking after me all the time," he said.  
  
    Arthur blushed softly at the pet name Francis had given to him. "O-of course I have to look after you, idiot! You'd do the same for me, and that's what lovers are for, isn't it?" he asked defensively.  
  
    "So you finally admit that's what we are," Francis purred, smiling.  
  
    Arthur blushed even more. "Oh, shut up, Francis, or you can forget about Mrs. Parks' soup. I'll make you some myself and shove that down your throat with the Gatorade," he spat.   
  
    Francis laughed softly. " **Je t'aime, mon ange,** " he said softly.  
  
    Arthur sighed and rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, I love you too. Now just shut up and wait for me-"  
  
    Francis' eyes widened when he heard Arthur scream suddenly. The scream was followed by a series of loud  **crash!**  noises. Francis' heart skipped a beat and his blood ran cold. "A-Arthur...?" he whispered, barely able to speak.   
  
    When no answer came from Arthur, and Francis could hear other panicked voices in the distance, Francis began to panic even more. "A-Arthur, can you hear me!? A-are you alright!? Arthur, answer me!!" he pleaded, but still, no answer came.  
  
    His heart began to beat so fast that he was afraid it would burst out of his chest. "A-Arthur, I'm going to find you, alright? P-please be okay, you have to be...!" Francis begged.  
  
    He hung up his phone as his vision started to become blurry with tears. Quickly, he stood up from the couch, where he had previously been sitting, and stumbled towards his front door. It didn't matter that he was still in his pajamas and that he looked like a mess, or that he could barely see through his tears, or that he was shaking so much that it was hard to walk. He needed to find Arthur, though he feared the worst had already happened._  
  
\---  
  
    It had been a week since the accident. Arthur was still alive when the paramedics got to him, but unfortunately, he had died shortly after arriving at the hospital. The internal damage that had been done to him was too much for him to survive.   
  
    Francis hadn't slept since that day, and his sickness had seemed to become infinitely worse. He wouldn't let anyone help him, or see him, or even speak to him. He was too depressed to interact with anyone. He didn't even make it to the funeral, even though he had been asked to help plan it. Besides, he didn't think he'd be able to take seeing Arthur's lifeless body again.  
  
    They'd only been going out for a few weeks, almost a month, but Francis had known Arthur for  _years._  They were best friends. They had been together since they were kids. Arthur was the only person that Francis could trust with anything and everything. The only person that Francis had ever loved or would ever love. Arthur had been everything to Francis, and without him, Francis felt like he was nothing.  
  
    With Arthur gone, there was really nothing left for Francis in this world. He didn't have the motivation for anything, least of all to take care of himself. What made it worse was the fact that Francis knew he'd never be over Arthur's death. He would never stop loving Arthur, and he'd never be able to love someone as much as or more than he loved Arthur.   
  
    He had decided, without a doubt, that he couldn't live in this world if Arthur wasn't there. So he wouldn't. He would join Arthur in the bittersweet paradise of Heaven.  
  
    What better way to go out than with a cup of tea? That's how Arthur would have wanted to go. It would be the perfect demise. It wouldn't be painful or disturbing. It would do nothing to his body but stop his heart from beating. He would look so pristine and lovely... Unlike Arthur's body the last time he saw it. It was a shame that Arthur couldn't have died as peacefully as Francis was going to.  
  
    "I hope you don't plan on drinking all of that without me."  
  
    Francis gasped, and his entire body froze. It was a good thing that he hadn't been carrying anything when he heard the voice, or he would have dropped it. His eyes filled up with tears again and a single sob escaped from his throat. He covered his mouth with his hand to prevent any more from coming forth.  
  
    "What's the matter, love? Are you not happy to see me?"  
  
    "Y-you can't be here... Y-you're not really here..." Francis whispered.  
  
    "Of course I am, love. Just turn around."  
  
    Francis turned with shaking legs and looked in the direction of where the voice was coming from. Standing there was Arthur. He looked so beautiful. His body had been healed and there was an ethereal glow coming from him. The glow made an outline of a small pair of wings extending from his back. It wasn't Arthur, exactly. It was his spirit.   
  
    "I-I... H-how can you be here...? Y-you're dead...!" Francis choked out.  
  
    "Well, ah, I was allowed to make a visit before They took me up, I suppose. And I wanted to see you," Arthur said, smiling faintly.  
  
    "H-how long do you have...?" Francis asked softly.  
  
    "Only a few minutes, unfortunately. Long enough for one last cup of tea. There's enough for me, isn't there?" Arthur replied.  
  
    Francis smiled weakly. "There's always enough for you, Arthur," he said.  
  
    He turned away from Arthur again and got two teabags from the box inside of his open cabinet. He placed one of them inside a teacup that was already on the counter, and got another teacup from a different cabinet to put the other teabag into. He then lifted the teakettle off of the stove and poured some water into each of the cups. He then picked up the new cup and gave it to Arthur.  
  
    "Thank you, love," Arthur said, taking the cup from Francis and waiting for the tea leaves to do their job.   
  
    "Of course,  _mon ange,_ " Francis said, smiling weakly before picking his own cup up off the counter.   
  
    When the tea was made, Francis and Arthur both took their teabags out of their cups and put them into the trash. The two of them sipped their tea together until both cups were empty. Francis took Arthur's cup from him and put both of them into the sink.   
  
    "Can I have a kiss, Francis? Just one more before I leave?" Arthur asked softly.  
  
    "O-of course you can,  _mon ange..._ " Francis replied, turning to face him again.   
  
    Arthur stepped closer to Francis and took both of his hands gently. He laced their fingers together, and Francis squeezed Arthur's hands tightly. The two of them stared at each other for a moment before Arthur kissed Francis' lips, gently, but deeply and lovingly. Francis closed his eyes, feeling them tear up again, and kissed Arthur back.   
  
    "Thank you, for the last kiss. And thanks for the last cup of tea," Arthur whispered once they had pulled away.   
  
    "Of course," Francis whispered back.  
  
    "I guess I'll be going now..." Arthur said, running a hand through his hair and smiling sadly. Francis could have sworn that Arthur was starting to cry.  
  
    "I'll miss you, but we'll meet again one day," Arthur promised, caressing Francis' face for the last time before he began to fade away. "Goodbye," he whispered.  
  
    Francis watched until Arthur had completely faded away, and he closed his eyes again once Arthur was gone. "Yes. We'll meet again, but probably sooner than you think," he muttered, for Arthur hadn't seen the poison powder that Francis had put into the bottom of his own cup of tea.

**Author's Note:**

> Fanfic number 4 for APH France Week on Tumblr O: this one is based off of a comic that was drawn by my friend Beemer a little while ago. I also owe her a FrUS fic but I'm waiting on something before I get started-
> 
> Anyways, I apologize for the shortness, but I was in a rush to finish so that I didn't have to post something old today. I hope you guys enjoyed this nonetheless, even with its very bittersweet ending 3


End file.
